Integrity
Integrity.
We CAN control our integrity. As a Christian, do you control yours?
Do you backbite?
Gossip?
Own your mistakes?
Admit when you’re wrong?
Speak up when necessary?
Defend others?
Tell lies?
“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.”
Psalms 15:1-5
Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. Integrity can stand in opposition to hypocrisy, in that judging with the standards of integrity involves regarding internal consistency as a virtue.
The word integrity evolved from the Latin adjective, meaning whole or complete.
In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.
It is so hard to maintain your integrity and so easy to lose it. One little lie, a false story about someone or even spreading defaming gossip can ruin your integrity.
Integrity is honesty with a track record. And believe it or not, integrity is controllable - by you. That’s right, we all control our integrity.
As Christians, our integrity means a lot. Our friends, family and others will hold us to a higher standard because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. We might be the only thing bringing them a relationship with God, or holding them back from on.
Don’t let your lack of integrity be the reason someone doesn’t get to know God the way you do.
Integrity isn’t sin. Integrity is what we do with sin.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
I John 1:8-10
“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:35-38